Most people who have life insurance tend to believe that they have enough because what they have can take care of final bills and expenses. Too many people only possess work related life insurance and even fewer have any insurance at all. The truth is you should have a policy that can pay out close to ten times what you earn annually.

Not thinking long termOftentimes people think only in the short term when buying life insurance. They do not consider say, how much longer after they have passed should their family be supported by the insurance payout.

Thinking that it costs too muchOne of the main complaints and reason people have for not getting life insurance is that it costs too much. But if you shop around you are likely to find a policy that suits your budget and needs.

Failure to update a policyWhen certain life altering event occurs such as marriage, child birth, or divorce, then it could be time that your insurance policy is updated. Many people tend to forget to do this when these event occur.

In many divorces that include provisions for alimony or child support, it is a common practice to include a stipulation that the supporting spouse should carry a life insurance policy. This can guarantee that the children will still be provided for should the supporting parent die. How long the policy is maintained depends on what the policy was intended for. If it was meant as security for child support, it can be terminated when the dependent children reach the age of majority. Life insurance policies can also be maintained for longer periods of time if the parent so chooses. If life insurance is required to guarantee alimony, it may continue for as long as the alimony payments are required.

When negotiating your divorce settlement, it is important to designate who will be the owner of the life insurance policy. This is a key factor because the owner controls the policy and has the right to name the beneficiaries. One way to insure that the policy is maintained as stipulated in the divorce settlement is to name the custodial parent as the owner of the policy. You can also include provisions in your settlement agreement that if the policy is allowed to lapse or if the beneficiary designation is changed, you or your children would be entitled to part of your ex’s estate equal in value to the death benefit.